Larry B. Langdon, 78, a white male, was found dead at 9:22 a.m. on August 20, 2020, after McCook police responded to a disturbance at the coupleï s home at 807 E. Third Street in McCook, Nebraska. Officers discovered him deceased and opened a homicide investigation. Initial local reports identified the victim and noted that a 79-year-old woman at the residence, Lavetta C. Langdon, was taken into custody in connection with his death.
Investigators later alleged that Larry had been shot while sleeping. Court documents and news accounts said Lavetta told authorities she had endured decades of abuse and, during an argument, had been struck twice before the shooting; an arrest affidavit indicated she admitted to firing the gun. She was charged with first-degree murder and use of a deadly weapon, appeared in court with bond set at $5 million, and pleaded not guilty at an early hearing.
The case proceeded through Red Willow County District Court. In June 2021, Lavetta Langdon pleaded no contest to manslaughter; the following month she was sentenced to eight to ten years in prison. Coverage summarized the stateï s position that she shot and killed her husband, while also noting her statements about long-term domestic violence.
In subsequent developments, Nebraska outlets reported that the Board of Pardons commuted her sentence, making her eligible for parole. She was granted parole and released in February 2024, according to her attorney, with reporting reiterating that the charges stemmed from the August 2020 shooting that killed Larry Langdon.
